Out of Nowhere
by AstralTraveller
Summary: AU prequel. Qui Gon lives, finds Anakin as an angst ridden teen. As the time of the prophecy is at hand, they will discover the shocking truth of SyfoDias. Nothing is as it seems...
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

The twin suns of Tatooine rose over the harsh desert landscape as Shmi Skwalker got up to tend her moisture farm. She was alone now, her husband was killed by the sand people many years before, leaving her alone with her son Owen. Strangely, a few years later, she became pregnant again and bore another son, a golden haired, blue eyed boy she called Anakin. His birth had been a mystery to her, and the gossips of the area wagged tongues over who the real father was. Shmi never even answered them, knowing they'd only laugh at her claim that no man was involved. Whatever happened, it was odd indeed. Perhaps in time, the truth would be revealed. She was happier here now than she'd ever been. Having been born a slave, her husband had bought her and given her freedom, though she knew that this legacy alone would be enough to taint the boys as the children of a slave. It didn't matter anymore, life was hard as it was. It was all they could do to survive.

Owen Skywalker was 24 years old, still at home, he had nowhere else to go. He might as well stay and take over the family farm, he had no ambitions beyond it. This life was fine for him, safe and comfortable. He hadn't even yet married his longtime girlfriend, Beru Whitesun, and others joked that she might give up on him if he didn't ask her soon. He awoke without being called for, but Anakin was still asleep as usual. His underground bedroom didn't offer benefit of windows, so the sunrise didn't enter his room and alert him the day had begun. Anakin was 16 years old, and very different from his brother. He didn't want to be a farmer, didn't even want to stay on Tatooine. He stared at the stars in the night sky, dreaming of flying away into them, to far distant places and adventures. He was fascinated by the Jedi order, and wanted to join, though his mother and brother only laughed at him when this was mentioned. A warrior priest of the force, who'd want to be that? The force was frightening to them, they didn't like to discuss it. Anakin not only wanted to talk about it, he wanted to touch it, to live it. He felt a close connection to it, and he could sense things they couldn't. This made Owen call his brother a 'weirdo' and belittle him for his dreams.

"Get up you worthless tub of bantha fodder!" Owen yelled, banging on the bedroom door of his younger half brother.

Anakin pulled his pillow over his head of golden curls and moaned, face down into the matress. "Go away. I don't feel good."

"You NEVER do! I'm getting tired of this. You're just plain lazy."

"Shut up, you don't even know me!"

"I know you lay here on your lazy butt all the time when Mother and I are doing all the work around here. I think she should toss you out, let you go into Mos Eisley and fend for yourself with all the other lowlife!"

A loud noise was heard from inside the room, and the door flew open. Anakin's blue eyes were full of rage, and something was flowing through him that Owen couldn't understand. He backed up, in fear of his younger, taller brother. "Get outa my face!" He screamed, and slammed the door.

Owen opened it again and barged in and found Anakin face down on the bed, ignoring him. He looked around the room. It was the same as it had been since Anakin was little. There were toy spacecraft and other flying machines dangling on strings from the ceiling. In the corner, a shabby droid he'd been working on for years still sat. It could talk now, but wasn't quite functional for any practical use. On the wall, there was an image of young Queen Amidala from Naboo, the girl Anakin had a crush on for years. Owen ripped it down and tossed it at him. "A Queen, what would she want with a bum like you?" Owen pulled the picture down and threw it on the bed. Anakin got up, turned around and pushed Owen across the room. "You're asking for it, punk!" Owen charged at him, but he was repelled even harder against the room. He hit the wall hard and fell to the ground. Anakin had never touched him. "Get OUT of here!" Anakin ordered again, his eyes filled with something Owen had never seen. He was completely stunned, and even frightened, at what had just happened. Anakin's rage alone had attacked him, without ever even lifting a finger. Not admitting his fear, Owen stood up and walked away. "Hurry up and come topside, WEIRDO!" He slammed the door, and Anakin hit it with both fists in disgust after it was closed. He lay back down on the bed and stared at the picture of the young Queen, then put her face down on the bedside table. He felt so stupid now for even daydreaming about her. Owen was right, she'd never like him. He stared up at the model flying machines that hung down from the ceiling and wished he was in one of a real one like them, far, far, far away from here.

Owen reported to his mother, who was away from the dwelling tending the moisture evaporators in the field. "I can't get Anakin to wake up, again."

"That's how he flunked out of school. I worry about him. He wasn't meant for this place, he's different than we are."

"Bantha fodder, mother! He can do anything he sets his mind to!"

"What if what he's setting his mind to has nothing to do with this moisture farm?"

"You would support that?"

"I"d be very sad to see him go, Owen, but we all must follow our own paths. He has to find out which one is the right one for him."

Just then, Anakin strode by, eyes focused straight ahead, not looking at them.

"Good morning, Anakin." Shmi said cheerfully.

"Hello mother. I'm going into town to check out some power converters. I'll see you later." He said without stopping or slowing down.

"What? Where are you going? I don't believe you, get back here!" Owen yelled. Anakin ignored him. Shmi just looked away. Her older son went back to working, her younger son soon disappeared on foot over the nearest dune.

Far above the planet, a wise Jedi master named Qui-Gon Jinn and his partner and former apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, realized they were having problems with their ship. "Will she make it, Master?"

The younger man asked. Master Jinn shook his head. "I feel we will not. We must set her down, now, or we may crash or become hopelessly lost in space." Young Obi-Wan tried not to show his fear, having fear was a bad trait for Jedi. He calmy nodded. "Tatooine, that's a desert planet, and one full of Tuskens and rogues of all types."

"Your memory and insight serves you well. Yes, that is true. Such an outpost is avoided by all if they have the choice. As of now, it is our only hope."

They stared out the viewport as they headed their ship into the atmosphere of Tatooine.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

"We're going to crash!" Obi-Wan yelled out as he noticed the disabled ship was falling too fast.

"It's going to be all right, the force will guide us."

"I hope so!"

Qui-Gon glanced back at him, then back at the view window. "Aaahh!" He grunted, as the ship flipped and went end over end in the sand. It came to a rest on its side. Qui-Gon got up and tried to steady himself. "Obi-Wan? Where are you?"

"Over here." He moaned, under some broken machinery. Qui-Gon lifted it off of him. "Are you all right?"

"I think yu just saved my life."

"Oh, come now, padawan..."

"I'm' not your padawan anymore, remember, I made knight several years ago, we're partners now."

"Yes, it is easy to slip up sometimes, you've been with me so long, you're like my son."

Obi-Wan had gained his Jedi Knighthood by killing the Sith Lord Darth Maul, just as he appeared about to kill Qui-Gon. The old master never forgot this. "Save your life, heh. This is nothing compared to what you did for me against Maul. Perhaps there will come a time when I can truly pay you back."

"I hope that time never comes, master, that such a situation would occur to make it necessary."

They both got up and shook off the dust and sand, ran their hands through their long hair and beards, and looked around.

"Most uncivilized." Obi-Wan said, shaking his head. "Of all the..."

"Yes, I know, but at least we were not lost in deep space. We must make the best of things until we can have our ship repaired."

They walked all around their ship, not holding out much hope for being able to fix it themselves. They heard a noise coming over the next dune. Their Jedi instincts warned them, and they both turned quickly with lightsabers in hand.

"Hey, get those things out of my face!" said the voice, the young golden haired boy who had been walking from his homestead. Both Jedi realized he was no danger and put their weapons away.

"You're Jedi, aren't you?" Anakin asked.

"Why, yes, we are." Qui-Gon told him.

Anakin smiled. "I have always been fascinated by the Jedi, I've always wanted to be one. I feel so close to you all somehow, much closer than to my own..brother." He rolled his eyes and the thought of his wicked half brother Owen and how he treated him.

"You want to be a Jedi, do you? What do you know of the force?"

"The force? That must be what I feel all the time."

The two Jedi looked interested. They were both beginning to sense his strong force presence. "Tell us what you feel."

"I feel like, there's this power in me, waiting to get out, so I could do great things! I can sense what people are feeling, and sometimes get into their minds even if I don't want to. I can make things move.."

"You can?"

"Yes, my brother calls me a freak for it."

Qui-Gon put his arm on the young man's shoulder. "You are no freak. You are someone very special." He stared intensely into Anakin's eyes. This made him feel uncomfortable. Qui-Gon had begun to sense he was the Chosen One, but wasn't ready to say it yet.

"What are you talking about?"

"You need to find out more about the force. It's dangerous a young man such as yourself being so strong with the force and not being trained."

"How can I get training?"

"You would have to come with us back to the temple, on Coruscant." Obi-Wan told him. "You must go before the council to see if they approve of your training."

"But I thought you just said, I had to be trained...?"

"You WILL be trained, if I have to buck the council myself!" Qui-Gon said boldly.

Obi-Wan was used to his master's ways, rebellious by the standards of the stoic Jedi council. "They're not going to take him, he's too old. And he came from, ouit of nowhere!"

Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan and stared at him. "Then we must convince them there is special purpose, because, there is."

"Huh?" Anakin didn't understand.

"Would you be able to leave this place, with only the clothes on your back, and never return, to devote your life to the order and its ways?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Anakin looked down and shuffled his feet in the sand. "I don't know. There's nothing I want more than to get off this dustball, and get away from that farm and Owen- but I could never just leave my Mom and not care if I ever saw her again. Who could do that to someone they love?"

Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon. Attachment. He had this for his mother. It was against the code, Jedi could not let their personal feelings get in the way of their purposes and missions. Qui-Gon had never understood how it would hurt for a person to have a visit with their family, or have friends outside the order, but this was forbidden by the council no matter how much he tried to change it. Obi-Wan knew nothing of this, he'd been a Jedi since he was a toddler, and barely even remembered his family, who were dead now. Qui-Gon was like his father, and he did not deny he felt close to him and worried for him when he was in danger the way a child would their father. So he understood how Anakin must feel about his mother. Still, they knew this was going to be a problem in trying to get him trained. They didn't know what to say to him, and were relieved when he changed the subject.

"Looks like your ship is wasted, and you're stranded here. What are you going to do? Mind if I have a look at it, I'm pretty good with gadgets and fixing stuff."

"Okay!" the old master took him up on the offer. Anakin crawled up underneath the ship and came out with a soot stained, grim face.

"It doesn't look good, guys, This is nothing I can just rig up with a whippadiddle pole. You're going to need parts that have to be paid for. Got any money?"

"We have no money, Jedi are not allowed to have money, or any personal possessions."

"No kidding?" Anakin looked shocked. "No money, no possessions, can't have contact with people you care about? I don't think I want to be one after all."

This saddened Qui-Gon. "Don't make up your mind so easily. There is much advantage to being a Jedi."

"Like being able to use the force, so nobody can mess with you and you can kick anybody's butt who gives you trouble?"

Obi-Wan laughed at this teenager's raw enthusiasm, and knew once again it wasn't what the council would approve of. "Not exactly, like that, but.."

"So if you're stuck here and you got no credits, what are you going to do?"

"If we can contact our temple, perhaps the order will send a new ship for us, or advance us credits to have this one repaired. Do you have a holovid, ours died in the crash.' Obi-Wan told him.

"You could find one at a cantina or hologram cafe in town, but again it ain't free. We have one at home." He looked very apprehensive about taking two strange Jedi home,

yet it seemed there was no other option, for now. "Come on, start walking. Let's go back to my mom's, she'll let you use it."

"You said your brother thinks force users are freaks?"

Anakin grinned. "He's just jealous he don't have it. If he gives you any trouble let him have it! Follow me." He turned his back to them and started walking, waving his hand in the direction of the farm. Having no other recourse at the moment, they headed back to the Skywalker homestead.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Anakin led the two Jedi to his home, a rounded shaped dwelling that was designed mostly underground where it was cooler. "Well, this is it." He announced not at all proudly.

"Don't be ashamed, we have no home at all, other than the temple." Obi-Wan smiled. "This looks like a nice place to live."

Anakin turned and gave him an odd look with a raised eyebrow. "You might change your mind once you meet my brother."

Owen Skywalker came to the door, shaking his head negatively. "What have you drug home this time, idiot? Looks like those freaky Jedi types to me."

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were apprehensive to enter, sensing his hosility toward Jedi.

"It's all right, come on in." Anakin invited, staring down Owen without a word. "Their ship is crashed and broken, they need to contact their home base. I told them you could use our hologram transmitter and receiver."

"Over my dead body will those- things enter this house!" Owen growled.

"It's all right, young Anakin, we can walk into Mos Espa to find some means of communication. I don't want any trouble." Master Jinn said calmly.

"No, don't go, it's my home and you're my guests. My Mom will say it's okay."

"IF she were here!" Owen grunted.

Anakin's curly head turned fast. "Where is she?"

"When I told her you were gone, she went out looking for you."

Anakin was distressed. "Alone? You let her go, alone? But you know the danger, you know what happened to Father.."

"MY father. I don't know WHAT your father was, probably one of those freaky Jedi the weird way you turned out. Makes me ill to think of Mom...being touched by one."

"Mom said I didn't have a father!"

Owen laughed. "Oh come on now how is that possible?"

Qui-Gon's ears perked up like a dog's at this. "What did you say, Anakin has no human father?"

Owen laughed again. "Or so Mom says, but nobody believes her. He's a worthless bastard, by little brother. Mom's only mistake."

Anakin mouthed rude words to Owen, then turned to his Jedi friends. "Mom said she got pregnant with me for no reason. She didn't go with anyone, it just happened and here I was."

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan turned to stare at each other. They knew the prophecy said that the Chosen One would be born of the Force, and the older master had sensed this may be Anakin when they first met. Now that they had this information, it seemed more likely than ever. THIS must be what brought them here, it was for a reason! There was no way he was leaving without Anakin Skywalker. He took Obi-Wan aside and explained this to him, and a chill ran through both of them. At the very least, this boy must be tested to see how high his midichlorian count was. If it were very high, there was a good chance Qui-Gon's feeling might be true. He must be trained as a Jedi, before he had a chance to be found by the Sith. Since the death of Darth Maul at the hands of Obi-Wan, Sidious, the mysterious Sith Lord, had recruited lost Jedi Count Dooku for his new apprentice, but he was old. If he had a chance for a younger, more powerful apprentice, he would take him. He might find some way to trick him into joining the Sith even if he didn't want to. Though they appeared to be walking away, they weren't going anywhere.

"Hey, come back!" Anakin called and waved to them.

:"Those things ain't settin' foot in the same house I have to breathe in!" Owen yelled. Anakin shoved him, and when he tried to get back up, he was pushed again, this time by the force of Anakin's anger. The Jedi saw this and were amazed. He was using the force though he had never been trained. "FREAK!" Owen yelled as he got up again. Obi-Wan ran to Anakin's aid, and stood between him and his brother, folding his arms.

"Perhaps you'd like to take on a different 'freak' this time."

Owen backed down and waved them off. "Just get out of here."

Qui-Gon tried to settle things down. "Shouldn't we all be concentrating our efforts on finding your Mother? The suns will be setting soon, and she shoudn't be out there alone. Owen, did you see which way she went?"

He didn't speak but pointed to the southwest.

"Thank you." the master nodded to him kindly. "Anakin, I'm going to help you find her."

"I appreciate it." He said as he started walking away with the Jedi. "Aren't you coming too?" Anakin turned to ask Owen.

"Not a fat chance, not as long as you hang with scum like them!"

The Jedi didn't want trouble, they each put their hands on Anakin's shoulders and led him away. Owen kicked some rocks then went back inside and got a drink.

They had walked a long way across the sand, following her footprints until they faded where the dusty wind had blown them. There seemed to be evidence that someone other than her had been there, for after the spot where the sand was mussed, there were no more of her footprints, only bantha prints!

"Oh, no." Anakin looked very upset. "They got her. It's the sandpeople, they always ride single file."

Obi-Wan put his head down. "Oh, no. We can't stop now, let's keep going!"

"We have to find her! I sense danger!" Qui-Gon added.

"I have a very, very bad feeling about this!" Anakin almost cried as they all ran as fast as they could. It was twilight by the time they reached the Tusken camp, and barely enough light to see by. There were fires burning, flickering, that helped. They walked stealthily around its perimeter, trying to see, hear or sense something that might help. Suddenly, young Anakin's face became twisted with terror. "Oh, NO!" He declared.

"What is it?"

"You guys aren't gonna believe me, but a few nights ago, well more than just once, I had this nightmare where I saw this tent- that one, right here." He pointed. "I saw it as clearly as I see it right now. I didn't know why, but it came with this creepy feeling of impending doom- I knew, something terrible was going to happen and I couldn't stop it because I didn't know what it was! But now I do! Why, why did this happen?"

"You have dreams that foretell future events.?"

"It has happened before, but not with anything this bad."

The Jedi looked at each other, deep in thought. This was yet another trait of a strong force senstive person.

"You think your Mother is in there?" Obi-Wan asked, and Anakin whispered 'yes.' Carefully they advanced, the Jedi drawing but not igniting their lightsabers. There was a small slit in the back of the tent, and Anakin stuck his finger in it to make it big enough to peek through. His heart sank. "She's in there, they got her. She's all tied up."

In turn, the other two took looks and saw her.

"She's so beautiful, and so sad." Qui-Gon sighed. "I can tell she's a wonderful person."

"Yes, she is." Anakin said, fighting tears. "Let's bust in and save her!"

"We have to be careful, we don't want the Tuskens to attack, we are outnumbered to greatly."

Anakin peeked again and saw his mother gaap, moan and collapse to the ground, hanging by her shackles. All at once, he tore open the little hole in the tent and burst inside. Quietly, he walked over to her, and rolled her over. She opened her eyes.

"Ani? My little Ani, you're such a good boy."

"You're gonna be okay now, Mom, I brought help!"She smiled up at him as they all freed her from her bonds. She was unable to stand, she collapsed onto the ground. "I- can't, you- must go, save your-selves..."

"No, we're not leaving here without you!" Anakin cried, hushed by his companions.

"it's too late for me, son." She sighed, pulling down her dress to reveal a deep cut in her chest. Anakin's eyes were wide with fear and dread. The wound was so close to her heart, and she was bleeding badly. "I'm so glad I got to see you one more time...(cough)...I love you."

"Mom?" Anakin said as her eyes closed and her head turned. She couldn't be gone, not like this! He turned her head back around and tried to make her move, but she couldn't. She was unconscious, but not dead yet. The two Jedi tried to help, but realized her life force was fading too fast for them, and she'd be gone soon.

"We have to get her out of here! We must get help!" He cried, his tears falling on her head. He tried to pick her up, but she was so floppy, with no strength left at all.

"I"m sorry, Anakin." Qui-Gon tried to comfort him. Anakin got up in a rage and started thrashing around. "I'm going to kill them, I'm going to kill them all!" He grabbed Obi-Wan's lightsaber from his belt and ran out of the tent. He was trying to figure out how to turn it on when Obi-Wan used the force to call it back to him. Anakin looked shocked as the weapon returned to the hands of its owner. Qui-Gon wrapped both arms around him and carried him back inside the tent.

"They will all converge on us, and we have no means of escape. You mustn't do this."

"I don't care! I am not afraid, if I had one of those lightsticks like yours I'd kill them all!"

Qui-Gon could sense Anakin's rage, and knew that he would do it, but he felt it best not to draw the entire camp into a fight. It was too late. Some of the creatures confronted the three with spears, and the Jedi were forced to defend themselves. Several raiders died in the fight. Soon, it appeared all the adult hunter males in the group had been killed, nothing left but women and children. The Jedi regretted the incident, knowing not all of those who had been killed had been responsible, though they surely were a dangerous group of hunters who would have hurt other innocents. As they looked around and noticed human skulls and bones used for decorations, they felt a little less question in what they had been forced to do. They were cold blooded killers, and a threat to all area farmers.Even so, the Jedi would never have attacked them without provocation.

"I'm glad you killed them. I'm only sorry it wasn't me. Gimme that lightsaber, I'm going to go finish the rest of those things off!"

"Anakin, NO!" Qui-Gon settled him with his hand, using the force to help. "Those women and children are just as innocent as your mother, and Owen's father were."

"I don't care, I want them all to DIE!"

The Jedi were stunned at the hatred in the young man's eyes. They knew, he not only had the force, but was prone to its dark side too. Even more reason to take him back to the temple for training, so he could use his power the right way. The remaining sandpeople at the camp did not challenge the Jedi as they picked up Shmi's body and carried it back to the Skywalker farm. Under the stars, Anakin cradled his mother's head in his lap, and cried. "I'm so sorry, I wish I could have saved you." His sobs turned to deep, long crying, which brought Owen out of the residence.

"She's dead? They killed her, and it's all your fault!"

"How could you say such a thing to me at a time like this?" Anakin cried, seeming more gentle than tough.

"She went looking for you, you know, so, because you got mad and ran off, and didn't do your work, she's dead, you killed her same as if you shot her with a blaster!"

Anakin got up and attacked Owen. "You take that back!"

"Why? It's true!"

"You know I loved her and I'd never have hurt her or brought her any pain on purpose. It's your fault too, you didn't go looking for her, if you had gone you could have found her before they did! So it's your fault too!"

"Don't try to blame me, you know it was you, freak!"

"I hate you!"

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon broke up the fight, and tried to calm the brothers, but nothing could heal their heartbreak and grief, or anger and contempt for each other. They dug a grave, next to her husband's, and covered her up as Anakin cried hard and couldn't stand to watch as the dirt covered her shrouded body. He fell to his knees on her grave, then layed his head on it, and cried again. Owen was sobbing too, but would not speak to or console his brother. Owen finally went back into the house, making it clear none of the others were welcome inside. They all slept on the ground.

The rising of the twin suns hurt their eyes, and woke them up. For Anakin, the pain of what had just happened sunk in again and he started crying.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon understood his attachment and let him cry it out. They looked at the house, realizing Owen wasn't going to let them ever use the hologram device anyway, so it was time to move on. "We're going, Anakin. We have to find a way to get our ship repaired."

"Don't go, not now."

They thought about their mission and how they needed to complete it, yet they knew, they sensed strongly, that their greatest mission was right here, to take this boy back with them for testing and training. "Anakin, would you like to come with us?"

"You mean, become a Jedi like you?"

They nodded.

"I don't know if I can. But, there's nothing for me here now. I might as well come with you and learn the ways of the force."

The Jedi smiled and clasped his hands. "We are most pleased to hear this. We must leave immediately."

"Let me get my things from inside."

"You won't be needing them."

:"Oh, yeah, Jedi can't have stuff, that's right. There's something in there I sure would like though, and it's not very big. I could carry it in my pocket." He was thinking of his picture of young Queen Amidala, who he had a huge crush on.

"Okay, be quick about it." Qui-Gon smiled as Anakin ran inside. They heard things crashing around, and ran to see through the doorway that the brothers were fighting once again, and Owen was refusing to allow him to enter his own room!

"You mean, I can't even have my own stuff?"

"Not if you're leaving with those freaks on some damn fool idealistic crusade instead of staying here to help me after you KILLED our mother?"

"Damn you, it's your fault, too! She never had anything good in her life and now it's too late! I'm not going to stay here and be your slave. Get that poor girl Beru to marry you if she's such a sucker to fall for a jerk like you, and raise a bunch of kids you can push around, poor things! I'm leaving! " Anakin turned sharply and ran back outside.

"Let's go." He said, tears still in his eyes, not looking back at the house or the grave. They walked away.

Over the next hill, Qui-Gon said something to him. "Anakin, I heard you say your mother never had any good in her life. You were wrong. She did. It was you."

This only made him cry again. They left him to his pain and didn't speak again until they reached town, where they were able to arrange to have the ship repaired. When it was finished, they flew away for Coruscant. Anakin took one last look out the viewport window, thinking how he'd never want to come back there, ever again.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

When they got back to Coruscant, the council was upset they had not completed the mission they had set out on. Even when Qui-Gon told them he had found the Chosen One they were skeptical. He explained the whole story to them and they agreed to listen and give Anakin Skywalker audience. He felt nervous when he first stepped before them and they could sense this.

"Too much fear this boy has." Yoda spoke.

"This is his first time away from home. He is wondering what you think of him. I know this, but I can also sense this. Why can you not?" Qui-Gon asked them.

"It's not only that, Master Jinn." Mace Windu addressed him. "This boy has much fear permeating from his very being, the kind of fear that could lead to the dark side."

Yoda nodded in agreement. "Fear, and anger. If channel his anger correctly he cannot, disaster will result."

Anakin stood silently, but was getting angrier and more offended by the moment as they all said the same things. Qui-Gon hand motioned him to calm down inside, but he was still in turmoil. He wanted to lash out at them but knew it was the worst thing for him. He and Qui-Gon exchanged glances, and he smiled at the council.

"Too old he is." Yoda pronounced. "No patience, no self control has he. Be trained he cannot."

"I second the motion that he not be trained. He's too dangerous."Windu agreed.

Anakin did not look happy. "Whatever, then. I don't want to be a Jedi anyway. No girlfriends, no stuff, no fun. I'm out of here!"

Obi-Wan, who had stood patiently and silently in the background, went after him. Qui-Gon tried one last time to convince the council. "You may be right about what you sense in him, and what he did only reinforces that opinion in you all, I know. But because he is this way, he is more dangerous not being trained! Would you want that kind of anger and power to fall into the hands of the Sith?"

Windu put his hand to his chin. "Good point. We don't even know who this Sidious is who was behind Maul and who is now behind Dooku. We can't afford to have an angry and powerful young man like that using the force in the wrong ways."

"Mmmm, right you are." Yoda said. "Trained he will be, Master Jinn, YOUR responsibility he is, yours and Kenobi. Together you must work."

"Wait" spoke Mundi. "We cannot lose them both to one padawan. They are too valuable, among our best and most experienced Jedi."

"Neither of them currently have padawans anyway." Fisto pointed out.

"That is because their missions have been too dangerous." Windu explained. "Now, they will take time to train this boy, and others will be transferred to their missions."

"As you see fit." Mundi said. "I am not in agreement. I say leave the boy here at the temple until his force power is evaluated."

At that time, a healer walked in with the test results and handed them to Yoda. Yoda's eyes bulged and he almost dropped the paper. "So high a midichlorian count has never been seen. The Chosen One of the force born he must be. With the Jedi he must remain. Important this is."

All of the others on the council nodded to the oldest master. Qui-Gon was given approval, and he thanked them all and went out to look for Anakin and Obi-Wan. He found them far down the street, where Anakin had run in his anger and was caught up to by Obi-Wan.

"Good news. The council has agreed you must be trained."

"What? How..."

"Do not question the force, this is the first lesson to learn. Come back with us to the temple, Padawan Anakin Skywalker."

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan smiled at him and patted him across the back. Anakin seemed pleased he had been accepted, but not at all sure he wanted this commitment. "What if I don't like being a Jedi? I don't know if I can live by all those rules you have."

"It's not bad, it's a good life. You will do just fine. Now let's go." Qui-Gon assured him. Having no real choice alone and lost in a very strange and overwhelming city, the farm boy from Tatooine followed them back to the temple that would now be his only home.

Anakin stood in front of the small mirror, covering his face with his hands. He didn't like what he saw. All of his golden curls were gone, and his cropped hair made his ears, lips and nose look so much bigger. One piece of hair had been saved to become his padawan braid. It hung down to his shoulder, though he was told it must grow longer. A strange stumpy ponytail stuck out on the back of his head. He wanted to cry, and he knew if his mother could see him, she would- and Owen would laugh. What a ridiculous style this was, he thought.

Looking down at his clothing, he was no more pleased. He found the oversized sleeves awkward, who could fight like this? The long cloak which covered his entire body seemed even more cumbersome, and he couldn't get used to having to walk around with it on. He wanted his hair, and his lightweight, thin, better fitting desert clothes back. Then he looked at his utility belt. This was where he would carry all that he would ever call his own, and it wasn't much. There was a slot for his lightsaber, which he would have to build himself. He bowed his head and tried to keep from sobbing.

He glanced around the room and saw only a plain bed with a dull brown blanket. There was nothing else but a cushion on which to meditate. They told him he was supposed to think beyond worldly goods, to the greater reaches of the force. This was going to be a hard sell for Anakin. At least at home, he had things he could call his own. He had only one possession left, and he pulled it out to look at it. It was his picture of Queen Amidala he treasured so much. He knew he could never let anyone at the temple see it, or they would take it from him and lecture about how bad attachments were. He couldn't agree with that, but he knew better than to fight them over it. He must be humble, at least for now. Hearing a knock at the door, he quickly put it away down a pocket inside his pants. "Come in." He said when it was safe. It was Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. They looked at him and smiled.  
"Well, congratulations, you're an official Jedi padawan now."

"Is that supposed to be a good thing?"

"Don't you think so?"

Anakin shook his head. "I hate this stupid haircut! I didn't know they were going to do this to me! Why? You guys both got long hair, and beards too!"

Qui-Gon explained. "I wasn't any happier about it when I was young, either. Once you are a Jedi Knight, the braid will be cut off, and you will be permitted to grow your hair or have it in any style you choose."

"How long is that going to take?"

"That is up to you, young one. The harder and better you train, the sooner it can happen."

"But I'm starting so late, and they don't even like me."

"Then we shall show them." Qui-Gon winked, and Obi-Wan smiled.

Anakin flopped his arms around like a bird. "What's with these sleeves? They are not aerodynamic for fighting, how can you handle a lightsaber with them? And doesn't that cloak slow you down, or trip you? I am sorry but I think your Jedi styling stinks."

They both laughed.

"Do they by any chance come in other colors?"

They both shook their head at him. He sighed.

"The first thing you need to do is stop thinking about yourself, because the Jedi are selfless." Obi-Wan told him. Anakin's eyes looked perplexed.

"I'm not supposed to care about myself, what I like, what I want? I can't.."

"Don't say can't, there is no can't." Qui-Gon tried to reach him. "Look young Anakin, I am not completely satisfied with the rules of the order either, and I am called a rebel. But I manage to work within the system to help, and so can you. Give it a try?"

Anakin was glad to hear this. At least he had these two friends on his side. "Okay." He managed a smile. His companions were relieved at this, but not at all convinced he would always be so positive. They knew they had their work cut out for them, with Anakin, and the council. It would be a long hard road for all of them, but one that must be traveled. The Chosen One must not fall into the hands of the Sith!


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Almost a year passed, and while Anakin never did fully accept the rules, he did very well with his training. His power and ability were very strong and he learned to use them the right way. He remembered when his temper alone could cause objects to fall, now he could direct it, and control it, and save it, the way he needed to. Though Master Windu had been against his training, he decided for awhile to train him as his own padawan, but the personality conflict was too strong. Windu hadn't had a padawan in years, and was beyond such training. He left him to Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan. They were very good with him, and had made much progress. Windu, Yoda and the other council members were very impressed. So impressed, in fact, that they sent the trio on a very important mission- guarding the Queen of Naboo as she descended from the throne and made her way back into ordinary life, planning on a run for the Galactic Senate. Of course, no one was more excited by this than Anakin, who had been secretly admiring her for years. He knew once he saw her in person, experienced her with his own senses, he would be intoxicated by her. He also knew it was against the code to become attached to anyone the way he wanted to be attached to her, but he wasn't going to let that get in the way. He kept these feelings to himself for the time being.

Finally the day came when he got to meet _HER_. He could not deny his heart's racing and his adrenaline flow and nothing could stop the smile on his face when he finally saw her with his own eyes! She was beautiful! Her makeup was off, and her face was more gorgeous than he even imagined! He had to lower his head in the awe of her beauty and presence. He could hardly speak, but when the others introduced him, he was obliged.

"Hello, Your Highness." He blushed with a smile.

She smiled back. "You needn't call me that, after today that will be all over."

He couldn't understand this. Why would a person willingly give up power? When Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan left them alone to go report to the council, he told her so.

"Queen Amidala.."

"Padme, please, call me Padme."

"Okay, P-Padme. I was wondering something, about, you."

"It is not proper to ask personal questions."

"Oh, forgive me, but it's not of a very intimate nature, very general really, it could be you or somebody else."

"What is it, you may proceed."

"Padme, you are the Queen.."

"Not for long. Today is my last day."

"Why?"

"Because that's the way it is. I rule for six years, and I must step down so a new queen can be elected."

"Says who?"

"Anakin! The rules, society, the planet, the galaxy..."

"I don't accept that! If you are the Queen, then you can change the rules. You can make them listen to you! You can stay in power!"

"What, after my term is up? That would be wrong!"

"Why would it be wrong? How can you let them take your power from you? If you choose to remain queen, I will stand behind you."

"What are you speaking of? An uprising?"

'Well, yes, sort of."

"That's not the diplomatic way."

"I don't care about diplomacy. I care about power!"

"You are surely different than the other Jedi I have met."

"Yes, I am. I can't understand how they can fight, yet remain so docile, how they can have so much power and not use it."

"What do you want to use your power for?"

"I want to rule the galaxy."

Padme laughed. "My, your goals are lofty, young man!"

"Yes, they are. With my power and your position and experience, we can rule the galaxy and make things the way we want them to be!"

Padme looked stunned. She didn't even know if he was serious. She had not even thought this way before. In a way, he was right, she was queen, why did she have to give up her power? But that's the way things were and she didn't want to cause any trouble. For a split second, it did cross her mind- to rule the galaxy. Yes, then all the injustice she had seen would be wiped away. Such power could be used for good as well as evil. She quickly put it out of her mind. She just couldn't be so bold. Could she?

Anakin stared at her once more, deeply. "If you want to hold onto your position, I will help you."

She giggled nervously. "Please, you shouldn't even say such things. What if someone was listening?"

He lowered his head, a little embarrassed, and a lot disappointed. Someone was listening, right outside the door. It was Chancellor Palpatine, from Padme's home planet of Naboo. He smiled to himself as he heard the young man's speech and intentions. This could be very useful, he thought, very useful indeed. He would file this down in his mind for future reference.

"Oh, Chancellor, you are here to see the queen one last time?" Said Qui-Gon as he and Obi-Wan approached.

"You Jedi have left her only in the company of a padawan?"

"We trust him. He knows his job very well." Obi-Wan told him.

The Chancellor smiled. "Yes, he does." The two Jedi got an eerie feeling from this, but said nothing. They only exchanged glances. Obi-Wan opened the door.

"Well, padawan, I see you have gotten over your shyness."

"Quite well." Padme laughed softly. Anakin turned his head down and closed his eyes. Obi-Wan chuckled.

"Shall we go?" She said at last.

"Of course. You first, m'lady." Qui-Gon bowed and motioned for her to take the lead. She did, followed by Palpatine and the three Jedi.

Anakin was very sorry to see Padme go through with the ceremony which ended her reign. Soon after it was over, they followed her home and protected her as she was resumed her life with her family, and began her quest for a senate seat. Anakin was watching her the whole time, and Palpatine was watching Anakin. This time on Naboo would be very instrumental to events to come.

The three Jedi stayed with Padme all throughout her campaign as Senator. She had an easy victory. For her celebration, she took some time in the lake country. The Jedi went with her, though after a few days Obi-Wan was sent briefly on another mission, and Qui-Gon went to visit the Chancellor while he was also visting his home planet of Naboo. This left Anakin, except for the servants, alone with Padme. They had an idyllic time in the beauty of the lake country, and Padme began to feel herself strangely drawn to the young Jedi. Anakin sensed this, but felt it was not going to actually happen, so he kept his distance. Finally one day, they kissed, and there would be no turning back. Inside by the fire that night, they admitted their love for each other, but realized it could destroy them. She was the ex queen, and a senator, he the son of a slave- and a Jedi. Jedi could not have these kinds of feelings, though he did. He'd always had a lot of feelings that weren't befitting a Jedi, his lust for power, his unconventional way of seeing things, his distaste for being trapped by rules he could see how to step outside of. While Padme did not share these views, she admired his spirit, and his intelligence. She felt drawn to his warmth and love, and she was, though she had tried to deny it, deeply physically attracted to him. Their sojourn in paradise would last only a few more days.

Qui-Gon was becoming suspicous of the chancellor. He could sense something was wrong. He could feel the dark side in him. He could see it in his eyes. Things he said to him made him wonder, until there was no more doubt. This man was a sith lord. The one the Jedi had feared for so long, and here he was, running the galaxy! Terrible things would happen if he didn't stop him now. He knew he may not survive if he tried to attack him alone, so he kept the news to himself until he got back to the temple. When he did, he reported to Master Yoda and Master Windu his suspicions.

"A Sith Lord!" Master Windu snapped back. "Have you finally lost your mind? You have been a bit of a rouge, but we put up with you because you are a fine Jedi. But now, accusing our esteemed Chancellor Palpatine of being a Sith Lord, this is too much!"

Qui-Gon tried to argue his case. "Just hear me out, we have to explore the possibility!"

Master Yoda flew close in his floating chair. "No chance there is right you are. Disgrace to order you have become. Association with your wild ideas we cannot risk."

Master Windu agreed. "Master Yoda is right. You are hearby stripped of the rank of Master!" Yoda nodded in aggreement. No one on the council disagreed.

Qui-Gon stood and stared. He couldn't believe it. "This is an outrage. This has never been done in the history of the Jedi! It's an insult!"

They all stared at him. "Be grateful we are only bumping you back to ordinary Jedi knight and not padawan!" Kit fisto growled.

"Padawan? You have damaged my honor. I am leaving the order all together."

"Be as were the lost twenty, you will to us." Yoda waved him off.

Qui-Gon looked back one last time. "It is not I who am lost. I hope you will all meditate on this and see the truth before it is too late!"

No statement was ever issued as to any of this, the council agreed the accusation against the Chancellor was so serious it must remain a secret. It was only told that Qui-Gon Jinn had disappeared. He was banished from Coruscant and any planet of the Galactic Republic, including Naboo. He didn't even get to explain to Obi-Wan and Anakin. He took up residence in a cave on Tatooine, and lived as a hermit. Disappear, he must, until the time was right.

The battle of Genoisis took place, and after it, Obi-Wan and Anakin faced Count Dooku. Anakin lost his little finger in the battle, and Dooku presented the prize to his Master. Soon after, Padme and Anakin were secretly married.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

The Clone Wars raged, and Anakin and Obi-Wan were sent to fight them. Anakin was sad to leave Padme, and came back whenever he could, though their visits were sadly short and always under stress of being found out. During the fighting, Anakin went through his Jedi trials and made Jedi Knight! Yoda cut off his braid in a ceremony, and after that he was free to grow his hair again. Within a few months his golden curls were back, very full and beautiful. He had grown into a very handsome man, his tall, skinny frame now filled out, he was even more attractive than before. Of course, Padme found him irresistible. On his brief visits home, he tried his best to find the time to spend with her in private. On one such visit, he managed to sneak away to spend the night with her at her apartment. She made sure all the servants were away, and he told everyone at the temple he was turning in early. Then he dashed off in the night for Padme's apartment.

"Shhh, in here." She whispered, in fear anyone might see the young Jedi entering her residence.

"This is terrible." he bemoaned once inside. "We're married, after all, and we have to sneak around like cheating spouses."

Padme glanced sadly down. "You knew all along what we were up against. We knew this all along, remember, I had my reservations, I told you it would destroy us."

He took her by the shoulders gently. "No, Padme, it will NOT destroy us! Our love is precious, special, how can it be wrong?"

"Our society tells us it's wrong. I'm a senator, and you're a Jedi. Jedi aren't supposed to, feel the things you feel for me."

"That's wrong!" he snapped. "I'm a human, I'm a man, I have feelings. Aren't these feelings of love and caring a good thing for a Jedi?"

"I would think so, but if your masters don't..."

"Oh I wish Qui-Gon were still here! He'd know what to do."

"If he knew what to do, he'd not have left the way he did."

Anakin looked down, then glanced up at her. "You're right. Even he has failed me."

"Do you feel that everyone has failed you? Even me?"

"Not you. The system. The galaxy. The way things are. Maybe even myself." Tears came to his eyes, though he tried to hide them, she saw. She reached gently and wiped them with one finger.

"I love you." She said in a breathy sigh, quietly. "I don't care about anything else." She hugged him and they kissed passionately. Within a few minutes, they had backed up to her bed, and had begun disrobing each other. "Wait!" she said as she stopped him.

"What, why?" he whined in frustration.

"What power can be greater than the force?" Anakin asked.

"I am speaking of another aspect of the force."

Anakin's head shot around. "The dark side?"

"It is called that by those who don't understand."

"Qui-Gon was right! You are the Sith Lord we've been looking for!"

Palpatine chuckled wickedly. "The Jedi are such blind fools!"

"How have you managed to trick the entire order, and the senate?"

"The dark side has not only power, but wisdom in ways you can't understand- unless you want to."

"Are you asking me to be your apprentice?" Suddenly it hit Anakin like a heavy stone. That's why he wanted me to kill Dooku, though it wasn't the Jedi way! He wanted his old apprentice gone so he could have a younger, stronger one- me! Anakin had grown and matured, and his love and feelings for Obi-Wan and Padme had changed him. He would not be turned with these taunts as he once would have. He turned to the Chancellor and stared him straightly in the eyes. "No."

"Don't be so quick to dismiss this chance, my boy. You will go home and sleep on it, won't you? Give it one night- just one more night."

Anakin left without answering. He feared threatening the Chancellor with turning him into the Jedi Council. He would go home and sleep on it, just one night, and decide how to deal with this. Sadly, he knew he could confide in no one. If only he could find Qui-Gon! He went home and was making plans to leave that night to look for Qui-Gon. Together, they could fix things. He couldn't tell Obi-Wan, he was too close to Yoda. He couldn't tell Padme, she was too close to the Senate. No one but Qui-Gon would ever believe him unless he proved it. He'd have to find Qui-Gon, and tell him, and prove it.

But the powerful Sith Lord had other plans. That evening, as he fell alseep in Padme's arms with so much on his mind, the dreams came...

"We must make sure all the shades and curtains are drawn." She stopped to make sure no one could see anything, though it spoiled the moment a bit. Then she returned. "Where were we?" She smiled as she kissed him, using her tongue as well as her lips. He did the same. They were already moaning from the taste of each other, and at last their desire took them all the way. It was a glorious night for their love, a night that would leave something to remember. The twins were conceived at that moment.

In the morning, they awoke still in each others' arms. They were still sad that such a beautiful love had to stay hidden and lied about. All the beauty of their feelings could never be seen by others, and the stress of having to hide it was taking away from the pleasure of their togetherness, though they tried to make the best of it.

"Mmm, good morning, beautiful." Padme sighed as she saw his blue eyes flicker open. They turned to enjoy the sight of her.

"Same to you." He smiled. They hugged again, so close they could feel each other's heartbeats. They could feel something special had happened between them.

"Please, say you won't have to go back to war. I can't bear not having you around, I can't stand the thought of losing you!"

He gave her his pity eyes, and a strained smile as he gently touched her face. "I know, I don't want to go...they say I'll be going back, with Obi-Wan, this time to the Outer Rim. I may be gone for months."

"Oh no!" The sadness showed in her eyes. It hurt him to see it, and to feel it himself.

"I'm sorry..but when I get back, I'll never leave you again."

"You promise?"

"All I can do is try."

"I'll try too. I'll see what I can do in the the Senate to end this war. I want you back, forever."

"I'll be fine. We'll have so much time together in the future, there will come a time when these sad days will not matter anymore."

"I can only hope so." They embraced as she cried into his chest.

"I'm sorry, Padme, I have to go... they'll be looking for me at the Temple."

He got out of the bed, put his Jedi clothing back on, and walked away. They had no more words to express their love, or sadness, their eyes, and their kisses said it all as he left her standing there alone, wondering when she'd see him again, and what the future held for them.

It was over five long months before they saw each other again. If not for their mission to rescue the Chancellor it may have been longer.

Meetng behind a pillar in secret, as always, Padme was escstatic to see him. There had been rumors he was killed, and she was suffering with worry. One look from those beautiful eyes and a word from his lips and she was full of peace and relief, though still never truly at ease because of their forbidden love. When she told him of her pregnancy, he was very happy, though they knew this was going to present a bigger problem than the one they already had. As he told her, this was happy news, don't let anything spoil it.

Anakin and Obi-Wan were very glad to be home. They were not sent back to the Outer Rim as they had feared they would be, their missions would now be based on Coruscant, and involve direct involvement with the government, and the Chancellor. Anakin was especially close to him, and had trusted him completely, having been a mentor of both himself and Padme. Anakin went to visit him often, on Jedi business, but it became something more. Something he wasn't sure he was comfortable with. The Chancellor expressed his concern that the Jedi were against him, and wanted Anakin to spy for him. When the Jedi asked him to do the same of the Chancellor, he felt caught in the middle, with nowhere to turn. He couldn't tell Obi-Wan, he was loyal to the Jedi. He couldn't tell Padme, she was loyal to the government and believed fully in the Chancellor. He thought again, if only Master Jinn were here. If only he had the time to set out alone, to try to find him. Where had he been, what was he doing? He had not sensed his demise in the force, so surely he was alive. In his time in seclusion, Qui-Gon had medidated deeply and had become even stronger in the force. He had watched the news of the Clone Wars from afar, getting a feeling something wasn't quite right. He knew it would do no good to ever tell the Jedi or the government, they'd never believe him. Something had to happen to prove it to everyone. He'd still have to wait until the time was right.

Anakin was able to spend more frequent nights with Padme. They lay togther, discussing dreams of a future with the baby, with only their love and no other worries.

"I want to have the baby back home on Naboo." She declared one night. "We can go to the Lake Country where no one will know."

"You can't leave the Senate, not now that you're needed, and I cannot leave the Jedi. No one can know."

"But they will know! I can't hide my pregnancy forever, they will know, and if they find out you're the father..."

"I know, I know, we know all the dangers we face, that's why they can't ever be allowed to come true, they can't.."

"Anakin, we are bringing a child into this life! We have to think of him, or her. We have to do what's best for us."

"I wish it were that easy. Padme, what are we going to do?"

"You're the one who told me, this baby is a blessing, not a problem."

"I know, I did say that. But you know it is both."

"How can something so precious, so happy, so good, be wrong?"

"It shouldn't be. I can get some time away from the Senate, you surely can get some time away too. We will have our baby on Naboo, and worry about everything else later."

"Padme, you know I might be put out of the order."

"No, you can't be! We can keep it all a secret."

"For how long? Who are you going to say is the father? What will your family say?"

"I will tell them eventually."

"We will have to tell everyone eventually."

"It's going to be all right, it has to be." She kissed him and tried to alieviate his fears, as well as her own. "Give me your hand." She took his hand and layed it on her stomach. He felt a little flutter. "The little Jedi is practicing his moves!" She laughed. Anakin couldn't help but laugh, too. It was so loving, so special, so precious. How could this tender love lead to anything but good?

The next day Anakin, frustrated over his inability to move the boulder which was the Jedi council, went to see the Chancellor.

"What a pity they don't appreciate you, Anakin. You are wise, strong, powerful, yet they treat you like a punished child. Your power and skills are wasted on the Jedi."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been watching you for a long time, Anakin. I know all about you. I know you crave power, and you have the strength to attain these goals. I can help you."

"Help me, what?"

"You can move beyond the Jedi."

"What are you saying?"

"Anakin, you know they are only holding you back. If you come with me, I can give you the power you deserve."

Anakin didn't know what to think. At one time he'd have grabbed this chance in a second, but now, he felt differently. He was very close to Obi-Wan, and would never turn his back on his close friend. He was like his brother. Now he had Padme, and children on the way. He loved them, and didn't want to do anything to hurt them, or their chances at happiness as a family.

"Anakin, there are powers beyond the Jedi, powers you have not yet begun to explore- powers that you can have, greatness can be yours."

"What power can be greater than the force?" Anakin asked.   
"I am speaking of another aspect of the force."   
Anakin's head shot around. "The dark side?"   
"It is called that by those who don't understand."   
"Qui-Gon was right! You are the Sith Lord we've been looking for!"   
Palpatine chuckled wickedly. "The Jedi are such blind fools!"   
"How have you managed to trick the entire order, and the senate?"   
"The dark side has not only power, but wisdom in ways you can't understand- unless you want to."   
"Are you asking me to be your apprentice?" Suddenly it hit Anakin like a heavy stone. _That's why he wanted me to kill Dooku, though it wasn't the Jedi way! He wanted his old apprentice gone so he could have a younger, stronger one- me!_ Anakin had grown and matured, and his love and feelings for Obi-Wan and Padme had changed him. He would not be turned with these taunts as he once would have. He turned to the Chancellor and stared him straightly in the eyes. "No."   
"Don't be so quick to dismiss this chance, my boy. You will go home and sleep on it, won't you? Give it one night- just one more night."   
Anakin left without answering. He feared threatening the Chancellor with turning him into the Jedi Council. He would go home and sleep on it, just one night, and decide how to deal with this. Sadly, he knew he could confide in no one. If only he could find Qui-Gon! He went home and was making plans to leave that night to look for Qui-Gon. Together, they could fix things. He couldn't tell Obi-Wan, he was too close to Yoda. He couldn't tell Padme, she was too close to the Senate. No one but Qui-Gon would ever believe him unless he proved it. He'd have to find Qui-Gon, and tell him, and prove it.

But the powerful Sith Lord had other plans. That evening, as he fell alseep in Padme's arms with so much on his mind, the dreams came...


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Anakin awoke in sheer terror, dressed and went to stare out the window. Waking up, Padme found him there. "What's troubling you?"

It was more than he could tell her- Palpatine a Sith Lord, wanting him as his apprentice! Qui-Gon missing and the only person who would understand! Now, the dreams.

"I had a dream. It was very real, like one I had about my mother when she was captured and killed just before I joined the Jedi. Only it was about you."

"It was just a dream."

"Not with me. My dreams mean something. You die in childbirth."

"And the baby?"

"I don't know."

"I'm not going to die, stop worrying!"

"If only you knew.."

"Knew what?"

"Padme, there is something you need to know. Palpatine is a Sith Lord. He wants me for his apprentice."

"First Qui-Gon, now you! What is this?"

"It's the TRUTH Padme! He was right!"

It took awhile for her to accept. "I don't believe it."

"He told me of the dark side. He asked me to be his apprentice."

"Do you swear you are being honest with me?"

"Yes, how could you even doubt me?"

"Oh, Anakin, how could he have fooled us all?"

"He's not going to go around telling everyone, he's using the dark side to cloud it! He wants power, and this is how he's getting it!"

"Oh, no, and he's been given unlimited executive power, and he's stayed in power after his term was up! I see it now, Anakin, I believe you! What are you going to do?"

"I've got to go find Qui-Gon, together we can defeat him."

"You must tell the other Jedi."

"They won't believe me."

"Do it anyway, how could things get much worse?"

"They can, if you die."

"Anakin, you said he used the dark side to cloud things, right? How do you know he's not using these dreams to trick you, to weaken you?"

"No, the dream was real. I have no time to find Qui-Gon, and the Jedi will not believe me. I must play along with the Chancellor for now."

Anakin meditated deeply before he left, but once again was unable to reach Qui-Gon in the force. He returned to the Chancellor's office, knowing he was going to be pressed for his decision. If he accepted the position of Sith apprentice, how could he ever get out of it? If he didn't, what would Palpatine do, now that he knew too much? Anakin felt doomed either way. Before entering the office, he leaned against the wall, head in hands, until his anguish almost made him cry. Perhaps he should have told Obi-Wan. The door opened. It was too late. "Come in, Anakin my boy."

Anakin glared at him suspicously.

"Thought any more about our discussion yesterday?"

"Something strange happened last night. I dreamed I saw Padme die in childbirth."

"Oh what a pity! And you know your dreams always come true!" Palpatine was unable to hide his smile, and Anakin noticed this. "If you were to join the dark side, I could teach you powers of life and death that might stop her from dying!"

"YOU planted those dreams in my head, you used the dark side to cloud my judgement, to play with my emotions!"

"No, Anakin, of course not." He pretended to laugh, but Anakin didn't buy it.

Anakin stared at him and bravely stated: "I'll never join you!"

Palpatine's smile vanished and his expression turned to one of rage. "You will join me, or Padme will die, your babies will die!"

"How did you even know she was pregnant and that I was the father?"

"I'm not blind, Anakin, everyone in the Senate notices her swollen abdomen, as much as she tries to cover it with uncharactarsitcally baggy garments. As for you being the father, I figured that out myself."

"You said, babies, what do you mean?"

:"She's carrying twins, Anakin, a boy and a girl. They will be very strong in the force. This I have forseen."

Anakin pulled out his lightsaber, but didn't ignite it. "You want to kill Padme, because you know she'll never go along with your plans for our children! You think you can fool me into joining you! I see through your lies, you only want me because of my power, you want to use me for your own ends. I'd never have power of my own if I served you! You will not have me, you will not have my wife, you will not have my children!" He lit is lightsaber and charged on Palpatine.

Palpatine laughed. "You pathetic fool!" He snarled as he let loose with force lightning. Anakin blocked it with his lightsaber as long as he could, directing it back into Palpatine. As he fell to the ground, weakened by his own reflected lightning, he stopped emitting it and called his lightsaber to him. From the ground, he stood back up wiht regained strenght, glaring at Anakin over their crossed sabers.."You could have had it all, now you will lose it all. Don't you see, you are now too dangerous to be kept alive? You will join me now, or your wife will die and your children will be mine!"

"I don't believe you. I will not let you take them from me!"

"You will have no choice, because you will join me now, or you will be destroyed!"

Anakin was full of anger as he fought Palpatine, who was very agile and quite a good fighter, better than Dooku. He held his own, but was soon at a disadvantage as Palpatine used the force to release a sprinkler on the ceiling. Stepping out of its way, teargas aimed and sprayed directly into Anakin's face. He fell backward, losing his grip on his lightsaber, gasping for air. He hit the wall on the way down. In his last second of consciousness, Palpatine stood over him with his lightsaber to his throat. "Tsk, tsk. I told you, I will not lose, and you cannot defeat me. I have everything covered, I always do. This is the end for you, Young Skywalker. I wish it were not so."

That night, when Anakin didn't return to Padme's apartment, she became deeply concerned. After midnight, when she was usually sound asleep because she had to go to work the next day, she stood out on the veranda, staring out into the city and crying. She looked in the direction of the Jedi Temple, hoping he was there and that he just couldn't get away. When dawn came and he still did not return, she assumed the very worst. She was crying in the morning and didn't go to work. A few hours later, Obi-Wan landed his speeder out on the veranda and came to see her. "Padme, I don't mean to be intrusive, but is Anakin here?"

"W-why would he be?"

"Padme, look, I know about you and Anakin and honestly I don't care. It's none of my business. Now, be honest with me. His life may depend on it." He could see the terror in her eyes. He put his arm around her trembling body and led her to the sofa. "I need to know, Padme, everything. I care for him too."

Padme whimpered as she explained about the dreams, and about Anakin's accusations against the Chancellor. She thought Obi-Wan would be upset.

"So Anakin was approached about becoming his apprentice, I am not surprised. Anakin is the most potentially powerful of the Jedi, and he is the most volatile and rebellious, of course he would be the target. I never dismissed Qui-gon's accusations as the others did. It's all so very wrong, the war, staying in power so long, refusing to give up his executive powers, I believe he is a Sith Lord. It all makes sense."

"Oh, Obi-wan, what are we going to do? What happened to Anakin?"

"I don't know. I am not sensing his death in the force, but I cannot feel him."

Padme's voice broke into a cry, and she leaned on Obi-wan for comfort. He noticed her pregnancy."Anakin is the father, isn't he?"

"Of course."

"I will do everything I can to find him and bring him back. You take care of yourself and the baby. Don't go near the Senate building. There may be trouble."

"What are you saying?"

"I am going to suggest the Jedi form a party to confront the Chancellor and demand he give up his executive power. If he refuses, he will show his true self and there will be a fight. Stay here, or better yet, go back to your family on Naboo."

"Oh, no, I can't, they don't know about the baby, I'd have to have time to explain, and besides, I cannot leave with Anakin in danger. I want to be here until you find him."

"He would not want you in harm's way. Please, stay here and remain safe."

She watched as Obi-Wan took his leave, then went back to lie on the bed, and softly sobbed.

Even after Obi-Wan informed the council of the new developments, they were still skeptical the Chancellor was a Sith Lord. Obi-Wan even used Anakin's disappearance as more evidence, that he may have turned him, or killed him. This the masters believed, considering it was Anakin.

"Betray the Jedi young Skywalker will not, unless twisted by the dark side he has become." Yoda spoke via hologram from Kashyyk.

"He could be, if the Chancellor is indeed a sith lord." Master Windu added. "Could it be true, that Qui-Gon knew this all along and we failed to act? Could this be the plot to destroy the Jedi, right in front of us?"

"And take our Chosen One." another council member pointed out.

"Why didn't Skywalker come to us with this news?" Windu asked.

"He knew you'd never believe him, even less than you believed Qui-Gon Jinn. Don't you see, it all makes sense now The whole war, the clones, it was all an evil plan. We've been used!" Obi-Wan waved his arms. "We must act now, or it will be too late. I am going to face the Chancellor. Who is with me?"

"I will go." Windu said as he stood up. Four more were chosen to join him.

"Let's go." Obi-Wan waved them on.

"No, Master Kenobi. You will not go. You are too close to Skywalker. If he must be dealt with, I do not want you there." Windu ordered.

Obi-Wan was shocked. "You mean you think Anakin may have joined him?"

"I do."

"You're wrong, you'll see when you get there."

"Skywalker is missing and added to this new report, it seems he is either dead or among the sith. I do not sense his demise."

"Anakin would not turn! I hope he's not dead, but I can't see him as a Sith.."

"This is why you must remain behind. Stay here, that's an order!"

Obi-Wan was upset but did not argue as the others left and headed for the Chancellor's office. He gazed out the window in that direction, wondering what to do next.

In the Chancellor's office, Windu let his band of Jedi Masters boldy through the door. "In the name of the Galactic Senate, I demand your resignation." He announced.

"Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?" Palpatine answered, taking his own red lightsaber in his hand and charging toward them. In seconds, his fierce dark side style had destroyed all the Jedi save Master Windu. The battle between the two was evenly matched, but Windu seemed to have the upper hand as he felled Palpatine near the window.

"The Sith will never again rule the galaxy! You must be stopped now!"

Palpatine gave one last attack with his lightsaber before Windu knocked it from his hand. He hissed as he resorted to force lightning. Windu used all his strength to send it back into the source. "Your rule is over!" Windu exclaimed, but Palpatine only cackled "no, no no!" Looking behind Windu, he called out for help. His apprentice appeared.

"What is thy bidding my master?" Windu was shocke to hear Anakin's voice say.

"Skywalker, I knew it! You have turned to the dark side!"

"I was a fool to wait so long! Now all the power you denied me can be mine! You had your chance, Master Windu but you and the Jedi have failed me, and now you will pay the price!" With this, the fight was between Anakin and Mace, and it gave Palpatine enough time to rise and regain his strength. He had not been damaged much by the short time the lightning was sent into him, he felt he was able to fight. He was not disfigured as he would have been had the barrage lasted longer, but his eyes had turned Sith yellow, as had Anakin's. With two Sith lords to fight, Windu did not stand a chance. He knew he was doomed. As they both attacked, he flew backwards out the window and was carried upward by wind gusts until he could not be seen.

"Good work, my young apprentice. Together, no one can defeat us. Once more, the Sith will rule the galaxy."

"Yes, my master."


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

"You have done well, Anakin. Now I have a new task for you."

Palpatine called Commander Cody and ordered him to execute order 66- the destruction of all Jedi!

"Show no mercy. You know what must be done." He told Anakin.

"Yes, my master."

Anakin put up his hood and headed toward the temple, an army of clones at his back.

Across the city, Mace had landed safely in a swimming pool atop an highrise. After he recovered from the jolt of the impact and the shock of what he had just been through, he headed right back to the Jedi Temple. Yoda had returned from Kashyyk.

"Master Yoda, you will not believe what I have witnessed."

"Great disturbance in the force I have felt. This is why I have returned. Imminent is an attack on the Temple."

"We must call back all Jedi to help us defend it."

"No time there is. Beacon I have sent, messages I have relayed. Wait we must."

Obi-Wan came running. "What has happened?"

Windu stared at him. "Anakin has turned to the dark side!"

"I don't believe it!"

"I saw it with my own eyes! He called the Chancellor "master." He tried to kill me! I told you he could not be trusted. Our "Chosen One" has betrayed us!"

Obi-Wan put his head in his hands. "I can't believe it, not Anakin! What abou the prophecy?"

"A prophecy misread could have been." Yoda shook his head.

Windu's eyes shot over to Obi-Wan. "Yoda and I sense a great threat to the Temple and the Jedi. The Chancellor is about to attack us. You need to know that if Anakin is with them, you must be prepared to destroy him."

"I cannot destroy Anakin, he's like my brother."

"Gone is the boy your trained." Yoda sadly told him.

"I cannot believe it until I see it for myself."

Windu glanced out the window. "You will not have long to wait. The invaders are here."

They all looked out to see the line of clones marching steady in their direction, led by a hooded figure looking much like Anakin. Obi-Wan was shocked.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing. I won't until he gets in here and I see his face, until he tells me with his own mouth he is now a Sith."

"You will have that chance, and you know what it might lead to. Rid yourself of your attachment to young Skywalker. You know what must be done."

A shadowy, hooded figure appeared in the darkened doorway. He pulled down his hood and revealed a troubled, worn face covered by a greying beard. He had long grey hair and looked like an ancient wizard. "I have stayed out of your way, but now the time has come for my return."

"Come back to say I told you so?" Windu said sharply.

"There is no time for gloating, though had you all listened to me several years ago none of this would be happening, and countless lives lost in this war would have been saved. Now I am here to help you stop this evil from overtaking our galaxy. Are you with me now?

"Yes, you were right and we were wrong, Master Jinn. We should have taken you more seriously. We were all taken badly. The Chancellor a Sith Lord!" Windu admitted.

"Right you were, cost us it did not to trust you." Yoda sighed. "Come back you did, honored and humbled in our shame we are."

I sensed the disturbance in the force and the danger to the Jedi. I feel the pain of the Chosen One."

"The pain?" Windu hollered. "He is with them now, he is a sith lord!"

"I will not believe that until I see it. I am not sensing Anakin is evil. He is suffering."

While Yoda and Windu didn't believe this, Obi-Wan did. "I sense the same, welcome back, my Master." They embraced, near tears. "You have to help me save Anakin."

The army entered the temple. Prepared because of Windu's warning, many Jedi were ready and used the force, and mind tricks, to weaken and deplete the invading clones. Still, they could not all be stopped. "There are too many of them, what are we going to do?" Asked one of the younglings desperately. Yoda hid the younglings in a stone room and held off all who tried to approach and harm them. Meanwhile, Windu, Jinn, Kenobi and several other Jedi battled the clones bravely. A fire started using the force, and some fallen debris, managed to stop or kill a great deal of them. Still, many Jedi fell in the battle as well. Smoke billowed from the Jedi temple, and Padme saw it on the skyline. She was beyond worry and grief as she lost consciousness in the floor.

Chancellor Palpatine watched it all from his window. He was certain of victory. He had not expected the resistence the Jedi were putting up. He was confident his new apprentice could take care of it all.

There reached a point in the conflict in which Yoda decided the only way to save the order was to take everyone he could round up and flee. Yes, flee in failure. He didn't like the idea and it hurt his pride, but he couldn't sit there and have them all destroyed. As Qui-Gon had, they would leave and wait until the time was right. Yoda and Windu took several younglings and other Jedi and escaped in a ship before they could be stopped.

Now no living Jedi were left inside except for Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. They waited for the final confrontation they knew was coming- Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, the Sith apprentice. He appeared through smoke and backlit darkness. They both stood ready, lightsabers in hand.

"Anakin, come with us, we can save you before it's too late!" Obi-Wan begged. "Look, Qui-Gon has returned! You have been seeking him the last few years, now he is back! Together we can stop all this!" He held his lightsaber down and extended his hand. "Come, my brother."

For the first time, they saw the face inside the hood. It was Anakin's, but it wasn't. The eyes were Sith yellow rimmed with red. There was a look of evil in them they could not see through. His face was stern. He had changed. They sensed no feeling in him for either of them. How had he gone this bad this fast? Was there not a tear of regret, not an ounce of guilt?

"I must serve my Master. All Jedi are evil and must be destroyed."

"Anakin, no!" Qui-Gon shouted, stepping in front of him.

"Anakin, what about Padme?" Obi-Wan begged. "Think of her, don't do this!"

"It is her I am thinking of. Only my dark side powers can save her now."

"What are you talking about?"

"Lord Sidious told me only the powers of the dark side can save her from dying in childbirth."

"Is that why you did this? Oh, Anakin, can't you see, Padme will suffer because of what you've done. You will break her heart!"

"Shut up, Obi-Wan! Do not tell me what I must do with my own wife. I am here to carry out a mission, and you are in my way. The Jedi made an attempt on the Chancellor's life, you all must be stopped for the good of the republic!"

"Anakin, you don't believe that!" Qui-Gon pleaded."Palpatine, I mean Sidious, is evil!"

"From my point of view, the Jedi are evil! Now, both of you, get out of my way or I'll have to kill you!"

"Oh, I don't think so!" Obi-Wan said, igniting his lightsaber. "You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you. But I will do what I must!"

Qui-Gon was stunned and saddened as he saw the two Jedi he loved most engage in battle, and duel to the death. Qui-Gon did not lift his saber. Despite all Anakin had said, he still felt something was wrong. He sensed nothing but evil in Anakin in person, but inside him, he could feel his pain, as if he were crying out for help. He didn't understand this, there must be great conflict inside him. Was it too late to bring out the good in him? What did it all mean?

The battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin continued. They used force pushes, chokes, and of course lightsabers. Qui-Gon had trained them both and thought them eveinly matched, but Anakin's fighting style had changed, as if he had recieved his training from the Sith. He must have been training with Palpatine for awhile preparing for this. How could this be? How could Palpatine have such a hold over him so quickly? The old master continued to watch his former apprentices go at it, not sure what part he should play in this. His cries and pleas to Anakin went unheard and unheeded. He really had thought he could turn Anakin back but it wasn't working. It was like his true self was locked up inside and couldn't get out, couldn't even hear him. He hurt deeply, and his head and body ached from it all. The fight had progressed and became more violent. Qui-Gon watched as Obi-Wan sliced off Anakin's right arm. He winced and turned his head. But without even much of a scream, Anakin had switched the lightsaber to the left hand, and was still fighting as best he could! Obi-Wan sliced off his left arm, too, and Anakin was left with only his legs. Raising high in the air in a complex Jedi move, he used his legs to kick Obi-Wan to the ground, but before he hit the ground, Obi-Wan managed to raise his lightsaber and cut off both of Anakin's legs. Now he lay bleeding, a limbless, defeated mound on the ground. His face was pale, he could barely speak. "I ..HATE you.." were his last words. His glaring sith eyes closed, and his breathing finally stopped. He was dead.

Obi-Wan collapsed to the ground in grief and agony. Qui-Gon, tears in his eyes, ran to console him. The two of them wept heavily over each other's shoulders.

"I killed Anakin, Master, I didn't want to do it. I loved him! He cursed me with his last words. What am I going to tell Padme?"

"You have to remember it was not Anakin you killed. Anakin was gone, replaced by this sith monster."

"I will try. I can' t believe it."

"Neither can I." Qui-Gon cried. They both glanced over at the pale, lifeless face, mouth still open as if gasping for air, head bent back in pain. They could look no more. Qui-Gon tossed his robe over the body to cover it and give it dignity. Then, together, they took the corpse outside to prepare for a funeral. Come tommorrow, they'd be burning many brave Jedi, and with them, their own Chosen One. What had gone wrong? They still didn't understand.

It was going to be very hard to tell Padme. As soon as she saw Obi-Wan and the long missing Qui-gon she knew something was very wrong, as she had already felt in her heart. Obi-Wan didn't tell her at first he was gone, he wanted to see what she knew before she became upset. Because she had not seen Anakin on the dark side, she'd find it harder to accept than those who did. She tried to take his word for it, but it was hard.

"He told me he knew the Chancellor was a sith lord and wanted him for his apprentice." She told them.

"He knew this? How did he react?"

"He didn't want to do it. He said he had to think of a way to get out of it. Then came the dreams. He said he dreamed I died in childbirth."

"He said that he had to turn to get power from the dark side to save you."

"Oh, no! I told him I thought Palpatine was sending him the dreams to weaken him!"

"I know he did. I sensed it." Qui-Gon said. "Whatever he did to Anakin, it changed him more than I expected. In the end, I couldn't even sense any remorse."

"The--end? Wh-at are you saying?" She backed up from them both, her eyes terrified, her body shaking. "Is he..did you...no...go away..."

Obi-Wan held her and looked into her eyes deeply. She knew it before he said it. "I am so sorry, Padme. I killed him. I had to. He was trying to kill me. He was killing other Jedi at Palpatine's order..."

Padme pushed him away. "You killed Anakin! I hate you!"

"I didn't want to, but he wasn' t Anakin anymore, he was consumed by the dark side! You didn't see him! The Anakin we loved was already gone!"

"How did he die? Did he suffer?"

Obi-Wan didn't even have the courage to tell her the gruesomeness of his death. He only lowered his head and sobbed.

"Get out of here!" She lunged at Obi-Wan with both fists, crying and screaming. "You killed Anakin! I will never forgive you!"

Qui-Gon held her and subdued her as best he could, but she was heartbroken and hysterical. He felt her body strain as she screamed and struggled. Finally, she passed out, and was silent. They rushed her to the medical center.

Padme was not even awake when the twins were delivered in the emergency room. They were both put into incubators and rushed to intensive care. The boy and girl were alive, but premature and weakend by their mother's recent stress. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan ordered all the droids to silence on the identity. They watched as the tiny hearts made the monitors bleep steadily. Then they returned to Padme's bed, and found it empty.

"Where is the mother?" Obi-Wan asked a droid.

The metal nurse answered coldy and without human emotion. "She expired soon after the birth. We have sent her body to the morgue."

Both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon cried again. They knew that the horror of losing Anakin in such a way had led to her own death. Though it was out of their hands, they felt responsible, and guilty. When they had gone through all the emotions their bodies could handle, they demanded her body. Leaving the babies unnamed in the medical care of the droids, they escorted Padme's body back home to Naboo. Her parents were devastated by the news. They did not immediately tell them of the babies, they were too important for their existence to be found out. Making her appear still pregnant, a rushed funeral was set for that very night. As countless mourners watched and cried. the beautiful Padme was set out on the beautiful sea she loved so much on a floating pyre. At the last moment, it was lit on fire. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon cried as they watched it sail away. Finally, no one could watch any longer, and did not want to see the flames overtake her. The crowd slowly vanished. As the sun set, she sailed away.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

Palpatine, hearing the news, did not waver in his plans. His apprentice had failed, and been destroyed, but he was not going to stop now. Perhaps this was just a sacrifice that had to happen. This is why he didn't try it himself, he was too important. He still had the galaxy to rule, and nothing was going to get in his way, even now.He knew not all the Jedi were gone, and his clones would continue to hunt them down. A final battle between them and his own minions was possible if he didn't achieve this goal.

Padme, who had only been in a very deep coma undetected by the inhuman droids, and unfelt by the distraught Jedi, awoke on the burning funeral pyre boat! Everyone had expected her to drift out to sea and burn where they wouldn't have to witness it, to join the horizon. She awoke, and as weak as she was, suddenly got a very strong will to live. Almost instictively, like any wild animal, she fought the flames. Screaming, she struggled to get past them, even though she knew that going into the ocean was not a way to sure survival, it was better than this fire! By the time she managed to roll off into the water, her hair and clothing had burned almost off.Submerging herself in the water, the fire was put out. She rose up out of it, her short, straggly, charred hair askew on her head, her body almost naked, and fortunate not to have any more burns than she did. The ones she did have hurt terribly, but for the moment, the water soothed them.

She was amazed to have found the strength to do this, and to tread water. There must be something urging her on from somewhere. She didn't understand the force as Anakin had, but seeing it in him she believed in it. Now maybe this mystical energy force she felt but could not control would have in its will to save her? She realized her stomach was now slim again, and wondered what had happened to her baby. She didn't feel that they were dead, she had a strong desire to get back to them, to bond with them. But how? Here she was in the middle of the sea with no land in sight. She couldn't tread water forever. Luck would have it that a large piece of the pyre boat floated toward her, broken off by the fire, but not on fire itself. Shivering, she crawled onto it, lay down, and paddled, having no idea what direction was back to shore. At last, exhausted, she fell asleep. Staying balanced, the board floated on.

Qui-Gon stood next to Obi-Wan at Anakin's funeral. They had watched several other Jedi be lit ablaze on their pyres, late into the night, but Anakin, the Chosen One, was saved for last. His severed limbs were layed where they should have been on his body, and he was dressed in Jedi robes despite his betrayal. Yoda and Mace Windu presided over the service, though Obi-Wan had wanted to speak. Yoda and Mace in their robes lit the flame. They watched Anakin's body go up in flames until they could see it no more.

"I didn't think he was the Chosen One." Mace commented as they walked away,

"Restudy the prophecy we must. Perhaps there is another."

When they were gone, Obi-Wan asked Qui-Gon: "Do you think one of the babies is the Chosen One?"

"Perhaps. I have never stopped believing it was Anakin.

"I believed it too, Master, but now Anakin is gone and he didn't fulfill the prophecy."

"Obi-Wan, I cannot stop feeling the cry for help from Anakin."

"I know how you feel, you waited so long, then it was too late. May the force bring you peace."

"No, Obi-Wan, I don't think Anakin is really dead."

"But, master, you saw him die before your eyes. We just witnessed him burning. I cannot believe he is gone, either, but he is."

"It could be his spirit in the force I sense. While I was in my solitude, I communed with the Shaman of the Whills. He had passed into the force, but was able to maintain his individual identity there as a spirit."

"That's fascinating. Can we all attain immortaility?"

"Yes, you and I can. I was told the Sith cannot. So either Anakin was not really a Sith or he is not really dead. I can still feel him."

"I have been feeling the same way. It is probably only because we were so close to him."

"Master, what is to become of Anakin's children?" Obi-wan asked.

"I will take them to Tatooine. They will be safe there."

"In the old cave you were vegitating in the last few years?"

"No. To his aunt and uncle. To Anakin's brother, Owen and his wife Beru. I watched them from afar while I was there. They are not such bad folk as Owen seemed when we were there. They are saddened not to be able to have children of their own. They can raise Anakin's children quietly and safely anonymously until the time is right to begin their training."

"Are you out of this galaxy? You saw the way Owen treated Anakin, he hates force users. He'd never allow them to be trained."

"Then we will have to wait until they are old enough to decide for themselves."

"THAT long? Besides, you must consider, being raised by him they may grow up prejudice against the Jedi. Let's take them ourselves."

"We know nothing of child rearing, especially very small infants. They need a real family. Trust me. It will all work out."

"I hope you're right."

When the sun rose, Padme squinted at the light and awoke. She could hardly believe all that had happened. She was given up for dead and floated away on a burning pyre. Anakin turned evil and killed by his best friend. The babies, where? Palpatine a Sith Lord, democracy in peril. She cried from all her sadness, yet found the strength to go on. In the distance, she saw land! It wasn't the populated city she had been floated out of, or anything on Naboo she had recognized as having seen before, even in books. It was a small, craggy island, rocks all around, and one large, dark stone dwelling atop it all. It was far in the distance, but as she paddled closer, she saw it was real. and she had not imagined it. Time seemed to drag on forever until she made her way to the shore and was able to crawl off her board. Her burned, practically nude body was in much pain as she drug herself up the rocks, groaning the whole time. She had to keep stopping and regaining her strength. She hoped there would be food and clothing, as well as food, inside that foreboding castle on top of the rocks. When she finally reached its door, out of breath, shivering, she got no answer from the knock at the door. She tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Finally, mysteriously, it opened! There before her stood a creature like she had never seen. He was very tall, covered in black, his face concealed behind a sinister mask. She was frightened.

"Do come in. I've been lonely." It spoke in a mechanical voice.

"Who are you?"

"I cannot reveal who I am. It is much too dangerous to myself and everyone who sees me. Who are you?"

She was surprised he didn't recognize her, the former Queen and senator, then she realized that the way she looked now, hair and clothes burned off, sooty face, burns on her limbs, she was not the picture of Padme Amidala that people were used to seeing. Also, in his seclusion, he may not have known of her. "You don't know me?"

"Should I?"

"I am someone I thought, you might have seen before."

"Excuse me, it's very hard for me to distinguish faces and voices through this mask I must wear. You look and sound so distorted to me."

In a way, she was relieved, for she looked so horrible, and she wanted to keep her identity a secret for her own safety for now. "Can you take the mask off?"

"No, I can never take it off. If I do, I'll die. My lungs were damaged when I was sprayed with a chemical, and now I must use this to breathe with. Besides, there is someone out there who has banished me here and demands my face never be seen again. I have only been here a few days, but I am told I may never leave."

"How terrible! What have you done?"

"It's not what I did but rather what I refused to do. I cannot say more. Only that someone will kill me if I reveal myself. I'm surprised he hasn't killed me already, he must still have plans for me, plans I do not want to go through with. I feared you were he when you arrived." The being-droid turned its frightening countenance toward her, straining to make out her features. "Where did you come from?"

"I cannot say. It is too dangerous."

"I understand. This life is full of bad beings wanting to hurt others. You will be safe with me. Here, let me help you." He took off his black cape and wrapped it around her. He held her close to help warm her body, and though she thought she should struggle to get away, she felt somehow safe in his arms. In fact, so safe she was almost uncomfortable. She started to pull away, sobbing.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so- forward. I am in mourning, I have lost my husband. He was killed- in the Clone wars. I will not make advances toward you."

"I did not think you were." The mechanical voice said. "Somewhere, I have a wife. I keep trying to sense her, but something is blocking me from this."

"Sense her? Do you have that, force or something?"

"No, no, I mean just by love, you know."

"My husband had the force. It cost him his life."

"He was a Jedi? I thought Jedi were not allowed to marry?"

"Yes, he was. He was..lost in the Clone wars." She didn't want to give away too much information just yet. "We were married in secret."

"I am sorry. What a waste the war is. Too many lost."

:"I agree." She wanted to say more, but again didn't want to reveal too much about herself that might identify her.It was too late. She had already said enough to spark his interest, and even in his weakend state of mind, he started to wonder about her.

The being summoned a droid, the only other 'person' in the dark castle, to draw her a bath. Afterward, Padme fashioned the cape into a robe of sorts that would sufficiently cover her. The wounds were dressed and she was given small rations of what little food was available. He was unable to eat with her, for he could only remove his mask in a special pod with the lid closed. He was starving, and for some reason had suddenly regained his appetite, which he had lost since being here the last few days. With the mask off, he breathed deeply of the pod's air. He seemed to have no problem breathing, and wondered if he might try to breathe outside the pod. He did consider this could make him die, as the droid had told him. He did not look forward to his life in prison here, both in the mask and suit and in the hidden away castle. For a time thought he would try it and risk death rather than live that way. Then he reconsidered. He was probably being watched somehow and he couldn't show his face. He couldn't put the wounded traveler who was now his guest at risk.

It was so good to be free of the mask, and get to see and hear normally again, and to hear his own voice. He leaned back and wiped the sweat from his face and ran his fingers through his hair. He stared ahead at his reflection, his curly golden hair, his blue eyes, the face that could never be seen again. The face sealed inside the metal mask, because he looked too much like another. The other, his clone, made from his own severed finger at the order of an evil Sith Lord, and grown at a rapid rate over the last 3 years, just in case the original plan of turning him failed to work out. The other, who had replaced him when he refused to turn and serve the dark side.His rejection of the demands of Chancellor Palpatine had gotten him gassed in the fight he was about to win, he had almost destroyed the sith as the prophecy had foretold he would. Now he was hidden away, told he could never show his face again, told he could never breathe again without this horrible mask. What life is this? Why was he even being allowed to live? Why didn't he destroy him? He must still have plans for him. He feared what these plans might be. He wanted to escape before the evil master returned. Perhaps this new visitor could help him? He needed to get back home and see what all damage had been done by his replacement clone. He was not aware that the clone was dead, killed by Obi-Wan, who was saddened by it all. He had no idea Qui-Gon had returned, or anything else that had happened. He felt a great need to find out. He also felt something else- a strong connection to the wounded woman in the other room. He would have to medidate on this, now.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Anakin stayed in his chamber, turned out the lights, closed his eyes and sunk into deep meditation. In it, he could see the funerals on Coruscant, but could not reach anyone. He knew what had happened, he knew he'd been replaced by the clone, now he knew the horrible results. He had to find a way to reach Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan, but if they weren't meditating the same time he was it was going to be hard to contact them through the force that far away. Even in his subconsious, this upset him. He had to get back there and clear his name, and stop Palpatine! Something else came to him, a familiar feeling, but this one was much closer. This one came from the same area he was in. Why had he not felt it before? All the stress and misery of his situation had blocked this feeling, as the specially designed mask had distorted his vision and hearing so he couldn't recognize her face or voice. Padme was here, now, he had to go to her!

He immediately reached for his mask so he could go back out of the pod. Then, something told him, no, you don't need this and he realized it was only a trick to get him to wear it, to keep his face covered, just as it had been designed to keep him from knowing too much through his senses. Something about the suit had also been blocking his force sense too. Then he thought, what if it is true, what if his lungs are permanently damaged by the fumes that knocked him out in Palpatine's office and going out without the mask and suit would be deadly? He decided to risk it. He opened the pod and walked out. He was a bit apprehensive at first, but soon found he had no problem breathing. It was only a cruel ploy of Palpatine's to make sure his face stayed covered! He seemed perfectly healthy and fine. He left the large, dark stone room that contained the pod and ventured out into the corridors.

Then he remembered the droid! The droid had been kind to him, but he was probably programmed by Palpatine to report all activity back to him, or even to harm if it he tried to escape. He had to do away with it. Staying where he was, he closed his eyes and used the force to find the droid's location. It was headed his way! He only hoped it had not trasmitted anything yet!

"You must get back in the pod for your own good." He heard it say.

Anakin didn't argue, he was afraid this might cause the droid to set off an alarm or something. He simply raised his hand in a force choke like motion until he had drained all its power. Once the droid stopped moving and went limp, he dissassembled it to make sure it would not function without his knowing about it. That was one bullet dodged, were there more? Did Palpatine install cameras to spy on him? If he did, was he already aware of the situation and Padme's presence? He didn't see any, he hoped Palpatine was only depending on the droid to transmit. He scanned all the corners of the dark building, now that he wasn't using the mask anymore he could see in much more detail. No spy cameras as far as he could tell. Maybe Palpatine had felt they weren't necessary, he couldn't get off the island anyway and had no means of contacting anyone. He was meant to live out his life in this prison, kept alive for some reason known only to the Chancellor- Emperor.Feeling he need not hide his face, he ran through the castle yelling "Padme! Padme is that you? Where are you?"

Padme, hearing Anakin's voice, was in shock and fear. She believed him dead, Obi-Wan had told her he had slain him. Was this a trick, or could it really be him? She was too afraid to answer, and he had to use his instincts to find her. He swung open the door to the room where she lay, and she raised her head and looked at him. The moment their eyes met, they knew.

"Anakin!" She squealed. "Is it really you, or a clone?"

"It was a clone who was killed by Obi-Wan! The Chancellor really is a Sith Lord! He did try to turn me, and when I refused, he gassed me and sent me here, covering my face with that thing to hide my true identity. He replaced me with a clone he made from the finger I lost to Dooku!"

Padme reached out her arms to him. "Anakin! Is it really you, or are you the clone?"

He ran to her side and held her in his arms, and looked deeply into her eyes. "You tell me. You won't need the force to sense my love for you."

She began to sob and hold him tightly. "Oh, I thought you were dead! Obi-Wan said he killed you, I was furious and upset- I attacked him- I collapsed-"

Anakin now for the first time could see her clearly, and he studied her closely. He noticed that she had suffered awful injuries. "Padme, what happened to you?"

"I died, or they thought I did. I had the babies-"

"Babies?"

"Twins, Anakin. I was only semiconsious but I remember, a boy and a girl."

Anakin smiled with joy. "Are they all right?"

"I think so. They must still be in the med center."

For a moment, Anakin concentrated until he felt their little life forces. "They're alive, Padme, I can feel them!"

"We have to get back to them! Oh, Padme, how did you end up here, like this?"

"They thought I had died. The med droid made a mistake. They gave me funeral and put me on a burning pyre boat and sailed me away on fire!"

"Oh, no!"

"I woke up and saw what a bad situation I was in, and tried to jump off! My clothes and hair caught fire, so this is how I came to be injured. Do I look bad to you?"

All he could do was grab her and hug her. "It doesn't matter, you're alive, you're okay, you survived! The wounds will heal and your hair will grow again. You can get new clothes. None of that matters. You are alive and safe here with me!" He pulled her close and held her tightly, crying. She hugged back and cried too.

"Oh, Anakin, it is you, I love you. What are we going to do? We have to get off this island, and get back to the babies!"

"I know, and I have to let the Jedi know it wasn't me, and I have to stop Palpatine. Surely they know about him by now and believe it..."

"Oh yes they do and Qui-Gon has returned!"

"I thought I saw him in my visions as I meditated. It's going to take all of us to stop Palpatine. I feel so helpless. We could be here for years and no one would know!"

"Don't say that, we have to find a way!"

Together, hand in hand, they ran out of the room and began searching the entire castle. They went to its windows and screamed out. All they saw and heard were the waves crashing on the rocks, and endless sea fading into the horizon. They were alone and trapped. Still, they kept searching. Most of the rooms were empty, but at last they heard a humming and saw a small light inside one of them. Carefully, Anakin going first, they peeked inside. There was some machinery, small colored lights, and a large black stone figure of a man hanging on the wall. At first they thought it was only a sculpture, then they realized the terrifying truth. The man was alive and frozen in carbonite! Who was he, and why had this happened to him? Staring closely at his face, distorted as it had been frozen, they recognized a familiar form, they thought.

"He looks like, no, it can't be." Padme said.

"Who, what were you going to say, that he looked like Palpatine? I was thinking the same thing."

"Yes, that was it! I have known him all my life, I know his face well. This looks like him."

"It can't be. I know he's on Coruscant.I saw him leave when he dumped me here."

"Could this be his clone?"

Anakin got chills as he heard her speak these words. If he had been cloned, why not Palpatine? Was this a clone? Or was the one in Coruscant a clone? Did he have a twin brother? What was going on here? Knowing they'd have to find out, Anakin started fiddling with the controls in an attempt to thaw the man out.

"Maybe we shouldn't, what if he's- evil?"

"I would say if he's locked away here like me, he's not the bad guy. If he is, you stay back, I'll take care of it. He will likely be in a weakened state at first, he won't be able to harm us. Now, let me see..." he pressed the correct series of buttons, and the stone slab hummed, moved, and started to glow. Red and gold lights glowed from the edges of the man's form as the black carbonite melted away. Finally, his body was free, and fell flat to the floor out of the remaining slab.

Padme was a bit frightened, but she looked closely at his face and was sure it was that of Chancellor Palpatine, the Senator from Naboo who had come to executive power. Anakin stood over him as he shook and tried to wake up, breathe, and come back to life. He was covered in sweat and writheing on the floor. When he settled down a bit, Anakin spoke to him.

"Who are you and why are you here?"

The man was too weak to speak. It took him a long time to utter "Where am I? Who are you? I can't see..I don't..."

"It's me, Padme."

"Queen Amidala?"

"No, Senator. Don't you remember my term as Queen is over?"

:"What?"

"I am Anakin Skywalker. Do you know me?"

"The young Jedi they say is the Chosen One?"

"Don't you remember all the times we've talked?"

"No..."

Anakin and Padme stared at each other. They didn't know what to make of this. They were interested, but still very cynical and cautious. This was the face of Palpatine, Lord Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith. Or was it? Neither of them slept, they stayed with the man until he was in better condition. After awhile, his body had come out of hibernation, he could see and breathe and move about again, but was still very weak. As the sun came up, they questioned him.

"How did you get here?"

"I've been trying to recall, and now I do."

"Tell us, it's very important."

"I am Senator Palpatine of Naboo, I have recently been chosen to become the new Supreme Chancellor."

"Is that as far back as your memory goes?"

"That is when they kidnapped me, took me away and froze me. He knew I was about to assume the role of the highest political power in the galaxy, and he wanted that for himself so he replaced me and took my job, and my life!"

Anakin and Padme were stunned beyond belief. Padme spoke. "Are you saying, the man who has been in Coruscant these last few years is not the real Palpatine?"

"No! I am the real Palpatine!"

"You were cloned?" Anakin asked. "I was replaced by a clone and left here in a metal mask. Is the man running the galaxy a clone of you?"

"No."

Anakin and Padme were more puzzled now. "How can that be? If you are the real Palpatine and he isn't, who is he?"

Palpatine turned his head and stared at them as he revealed the bombshell. "Syfo- Dias."

Anakin was full of shock, awe and rage. "So that's who Syfo-Dias was! When Obi-Wan went to Kamino, they told him that the clones had been ordered by Syfo-Dias but we didn't know who that was. They thought Obi-Wan was him."

"I'm not surprised." Palpatine stated. "He is a changeling. He took the form of Obi-Wan when he ordered the clones. He can take any form he chooses. Now he's taken mine."

Cold chills went through Anakin and Padme. "You mean, the man everyone thinks is you is actually Syfo-Dias?"

"Yes. He is very evil. Before I was frozen, I found out he is what you Jedi call a Sith Lord, his Sith name is Darth Sidious. He was the apprentice of Darth Plaugeous the wise."

"You, I mean, he, I mean the man posing as Chancellor Palpatine, he told me about that Dark Lord of the Sith and how he was killed in his sleep by his apprentice."

"Syfo-Dias was his apprentice. Lord Sidious is the new Sith Lord. He has assumed my form and is doing evil in my name."

Anakin's blood went cold. Padme was shaking. "What are we going to do? How are we going to get out of here?"

"I don't know." Anakin said, staring out at the vast empty sea surrounding them. "All I know is, we must, and we will."


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

The waters looked endless. With all his force power, and all Padme and Palpatine's political power, there was no help for them. Anakin walked back to where Palpatine lay, trying to regain his full strength.

"Chancellor, we must work together on this. Let's meditate on it."

"Meditate? Anakin, you forget I am not a Jedi."

For a second he stared quizzically at Palpatine. "I thought you weren't really a Sith."

Palpatine laughed. "I'm not! My boy, I do not have 'the force.'" He chuckled again. "If I did, I surely would have tried to attain power and station much earlier in life!"

This was hard for Anakin to accept at first. This man who he had thought had more force power than anyone, the dark side, the power to save the dead, and come to find out none of it was true. There was no power to save the dead. Palpatine, good Chancellor Palpatine, was an ordinary man with no force sensitivity. The Palpatine running the government was really Syfo-Dias, the changeling who had assumed the form of Obi-Wan to order the clones, then kidnapped the Chancellor at his rise to power and took his form and identity. It was all too much. Anakin sat down and lowered his head.

"Chancellor, I fear there may be more clones of myself. Why would he order clones of an ordinary bounty hunter and not ones with the force? He made one clone of me, am I to believe there are not more?"

"I don't think he made many clones of you, Anakin. You see, he would fear them. One, he could control. Many would be a threat to him. I am sure there was only one clone of you."

"How sure?"

"If I'm wrong, we will find out."

"How?" Padme asked. We are so isolated here. We may never get out of here!"

"Don't say that Padme, we have to! I'll keep trying...anything."

Padme put her head down and started to cry. "What about the babies, Anakin? They think we're dead and they are orphans. What is to become of them?"

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon stared at the babies in the medical center.

"How long before they can be taken home?" Obi-Wan asked.

The droid turned to him. "Home? These children have no parents. They are both dead. Child protective regulations require that we know they will be going to a secure home before they are released. We can find adoptive couples if you so request."

"No." Qui-Gon said. "We are going to take them."

"Jedi raising children?" The droid seemed skeptical. "They are helpless infants, not padawans for you to train. You cannot give them the care they will need the next few years of life."

Obi-Wan twisted a piece of his beard. "Qui-Gon, I don't want to give them to Owen Skywalker. I don't feel he is the best parent for them." He said after they were where the droid couldn't hear.

"You heard the droid. They don't accept we Jedi as adoptive parents. We must take them to their uncle."

"Why can't we take them to Padme's family?"

"They never knew of the babies. Besides, if they were with them they'd never be safe. Palpatine is from Naboo, he controls that planet more than any other. He will find a way to take the babies and raise them as Sith, or even worse, kill them."

"I hadn't thought of that, you're right. I don't see how the same thing couldn't happen with Owen, though."

"The empire does not control Tatooine. I don't know if Palpatine even knows where to find that old dirt farm."

"So, we have no choice. The Skywalker ranch it is."

They both had serious reservations about letting the children be raised by someone so hostile to the Jedi. Though Qui-Gon had seen Owen as a good man, and his wife a good woman, he could not forget their first encounter when they first met Anakin. This was a sad situation all around. There was nothing left to do. In a few days, the babies were released to the protective custody of Jinn and Kenobi. They took them on a ship and headed for Tatooine.

"Well, if it isn't the man who killed my brother!" Owen snapped as he saw Obi-Wan approach. "You are not welcome on Skywalker Ranch."

"He died in a battle to the death after turning to the dark side of the force. It was necessary."

"From who's point of view, yours?" Owen protested.

Obi-Wan was getting angry. "As if you cared. You would have killed him yourself if he'd have stayed here."

"The way he killed our mother?"

"Please." Qui-Gon pleaded, his hand extended. "Your niece and nephew need you now. We have brought these children to intrust in your care."

"Do those kids have that 'force' too? I don't want that around here."

"They may." Qui-Gon explained. "There is a chance, since Anakin is their father. Their mother was a non force sensitive, just as you are and your mother was."

"So there's a chance they might be normal?"

Both Jedi were offended by this remark. They did not want to leave the children here. They decided one of them would stay close by at all times in Qui-Gon's old hut to keep watch.

Beru came running out of the house. "Oh, they're here!" She squealed. She walked over and gazed lovingly at them both. "They are so beautiful! I have wanted a son and daughter more than you know. You both have brought joy to my heart!" She smiled at the two Jedi.

Owen scowled. "A good farm worker for me and a house servant for you. That's all I see there in them blankets. And nothing but parasites until they are old enough to work!"

"Owen!" Beru almost cried. "These are innocent babies, your own flesh and blood, please don't think of them that way."

Owen turned away. "I will be tolerant, for you, my dear. But if either of them demonstrate any freakish abilities like their father, I want no more to do with them."

Beru looked timidly and sadly at him, then back at the babies. Jinn and Kenobi sensed her fear, Owen had not always been kind to her. He had the potential to be an abusive father. They committed themselves to keep contact with them.

"You can go now. Get off my land." Owen ordered them both.

"Gladly."

"Ain't you going to help pay for their upkeep?"

"We Jedi have no money."

Owen shook his head and turned away. "Just go."

They left, taking one more glace back. Owen stood with his hands on his hips, staring at the sun. Beru carefully carried both bundles inside.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Obi-Wan whispered to Qui-Gon, though he had already sensed it himself. He took Obi-Wan to his old rugged hermit hideout, and there they both meditated.

Anakin was deep in meditation too, on the island. He was desperate to contact any Jedi still alive, to inform them of his plight, and how important it was that the 'Chancellor' in Coruscant be removed from power. His life force traveled, and a bit of it came through.

Obi-Wan jolted, his eyes shooting open. "Master!" he called out to Qui-Gon, who came out of his meditation too. "The strangest thing happened. I sensed Anakin's life force. I felt it."

"How is this possible? Strange that I have not."

"We were very close in those years after you were gone. He was like my brother. I can feel him."

"Perhaps what you feel is his presence in the force."

"You told me no Sith could survive death as the Jedi can."

"That is so."

"You saw Anakin die a Sith."

"Yes, we did."

"Master, I don't think Anakin is really dead. I don't think that was him who I killed. I had a strange feeling about him at the time, I could not sense him that day."

"That is because the dark side was clouding him."

"Or could it be that it wasn't really our Anakin?"

"Padawan," Master Jinn said, for the first time in years to Obi-Wan. It was almost comforting for him to hear it. "what are you saying?"

"I am saying I sense Anakin Skywalker is alive."

"I understand your deep feeling for him and your regret over his death at your hand, but he is dead, we saw him die in the temple, we saw him burn on the pyre."

"That wasn't really Anakin, I know it."

"Then who was it?"

"Master, why couldn't it have been a clone?"

"A clone?"

"It's not impossible. Clones are made on Kamino, and their growth is accelerated. Could it be that Palpatine made a clone of Anakin and replaced him?"

"That is quite a stretch, but...something in my feelings tell me I cannot rule it out. We must meditate again on this."

After much meditation, Qui-Gon was also convinced Anakin was still alive, though they could not get a clear message from him on what had happened, or his location. They were too far away. In his own desperate prison, Anakin held his head in despair. He felt he had contacted them, but knew they didn't get his message. There had to be something he could do. If only they were closer.

The next day, as the twin suns rose over Tatooine, Jinn and Kenobi headed back to Coruscant. They were going to see Palpatine, or the man they thought was Palpatine!


	12. Chapter 12

Beru snuggled both twins close to her as she rocked them to sleep.

"If either one shows any sign of that...force, you let me know. I'll beat it right out of them soon before it goes too far."

"Owen, they're just babies!"

"Babies grow!"

"Why are you so cruel toward the force? It may be a help to us. Think of it, Owen! If the children are able to move things with only their minds, what a great help that will be around the farm!"

"They can use their hands like everyone else!"

"Owen you're not being fair. To me this force seems a grand and glorious thing, a gift..could it be, you're_ jealous _you didn't get it?"

Owen charged toward her, his hand raised, but stopped short of hitting her or the babies. "Not another word, Beru! Not another word on the matter! These kids will be normal, like us, and that's all there is to it!" He stormed out of the room. Beru lowered her head and cried, her tears falling on each of the Skywalker twins.

------------------------

In far off Coruscant, Jinn and Kenobi had reached the doorway of the Chancellor's chambers.

"Are you sure we can do this?" Kenobi asked. "What if he kills us both, then what?"

"We simply cannot let that happen. We must be wise, ready, and strong. We must cover each other well."

"Yes, Master."

Since no one was guarding the door, they decided to enter and take him by surprise. The door was locked, but they soon used the force to take care of that. Inside, the chambers were very dark. Even though it was sunny outside, all of the curtains were drawn tight, and there were no visible signs of life.

"Can you sense anything, Master? I cannot."

"I feel a life force ever so faintly..." Jinn whispered as he moved some hanging tapestry and stepped through to the next section. "I feel it is someone in touch with the force."

"I sense something now, too, but it's not like a Jedi..or a Sith.."

They could now hear a strange bubbling sound, and they saw a flashing light coming from beneath a closed door. They gazed at each other, winked, and made it open. There, before their eyes, was the biggest shock of their lives!

-----------------------------

Anakin sat on the rocks, staring out at the sun flickering off the endless bouncing waves. His arm was around his beloved Padme. She was still sore from her burns, but healing well. The sandy smelling water splashed them now and then. "Oh, Anakin, I have never known Naboo's waters to be so quiet for so long! There are always some seagoing vessels, or some patrols, a merchant ship, somebody...I can't believe nothing has come this way in days. If I floated here, we couldn't be that far from civilization!"

"Don't worry my angel. I am sure something will happen to help us. The force knows it's important for us to get out of here." He scanned the horizon, where the sky met the ocean. His mind traveled back in time, years ago, to the time when he had first met the Jedi. His thoughts traveled down, down..."Padme!" He called out in excitement. "How far do you think we are from the underwater Gungan world?"

"Oh Anakin that's a brilliant idea! I am sorry I didn't think of it already! Oh, I'm afraid I don't think it's near here..."

"But you admit, you don't know _where_ we are, so how can you say we are not near it, or part of it is not near here?"

"How can we find out? Can you use the force or something?"

"I don't know. I'm going to try to sense something. If I can get a message to them, they can help us!"

"But will they get it, and will they be able to come? Who knows what's going on with that terrible Syfo-Dias in power?"

"Right now, it may be our only hope."

"Then do what you must." She said softly as she kissed him.

---------------------------------

"What in the universe is that?" Kenobi spoke aloud.

Qui-Gon looked more than puzzled as he approached the tank. Inside was an oddly shaped creature, with no identifyable features, more like a big white blob with the form of a body and limbs. From its stomach, an umbilical cord like hose ran through the tank and out an opening into a machine nearby. The two Jedi paced around, taking in everything they could, with all of their natural and supernatural senses. The creature did not seem to move, or be aware they were there.

"He appears to be some sort of changling..." Qui-Gon observed. I have seen them in this state in my youth, on some of my farthest expeditions. I am only surmizing he needs this tank to regenerate, to keep himself alive, while he is not in the form of whatever unfortunate sod whose form he's stolen."

"Why would he be here? And where is Chancellor Palpatine?" Obi-Wan said. Just then, his eyes traveled to the well known garb of the Chancellor, lying nearby on the floor, as a human would step out of their clothes and leave them as they entered their bath. All at once, their force sense, and their minds, came to the same possible conclusion. They didn't even need to say it, they knew. They were close to certain that the Chancellor was a changeling. They still didn't know who or why or how, but this was a big discovery nonetheless. They would have to be quiet and careful as they snooped around for more information. But before they could make another move, the tank made an earsplitting sound...

"Let's get out of here!" Obi-Wan yelled, but it was too late...


End file.
